A Return to Norland: A Sequel to Jane Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility' by Kate Westwood

Author:Kate Westwood [Westwood, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indigoskies Press
Published: 2024-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

When they returned home Fanny was still jubilant over what she called Margaret’s conquest. ‘I’ve no doubt that we will receive an invitation to dinner at St. James-street very soon. Mr Ambrose was much taken with you, Margaret—did you not think so, Mr Dashwood? It was a great honour to be singled out by one so wealthy and with so much consequence. He is thought a most eligible bachelor, you know!’ she added smugly. ‘He is well thought of in town, and his company is solicited by many females of taste, for he is known to be the most charming and amiable of gentlemen!’

Margaret took pains to speak her gratitude, but she hoped that Fanny had not interpreted Mr Ambrose’s attention to her as a sign of his interest in her. Besides, she was not sure she liked him yet. He was, it was true, handsome in an unconventional way, perhaps even dashing, and his address with without fault. If he could satisfy her desire to learn more about the world, perhaps tell her interesting stories, then she would like to know him more! But although she had no reason to dislike Mr Ambrose, there was still something rather singular about him which she had detected. He had, she decided, a self-consciousness of his own importance, and she wasn’t sure if she was amused or repelled by it.

But it seemed that Fanny had been very pleased with Margaret and the afternoon in general, for she was unusually cheerful with her sister-in-law for the rest of the evening. Margaret wondered at it, for Fanny had never shown much interest in her husband’s half-sisters before this. Margaret had not needed this extended stay with her brother and his wife to know Fanny to be generally a rather cold-hearted creature, interested only in increasing her own consequence and devoid of real feeling for anyone but herself and her own. She had always thought Fanny to be wanting in real understanding, and insipid in her interactions with their family.

But Margaret conceded that while Fanny was perhaps not as warm as she could be, she did perhaps mean well. Perhaps she did share John’s desire to see Margaret well-situated in life. But Margaret did not like to feel obliged by kindness, even from Fanny and John, into a union which she did not at present look for, however handsome and rich the gentleman.

They spent their first evening quietly in Harley-street, for which Margaret was grateful, at present so overwhelmed with the newness of the sights and sounds of the city that she was quite tired out. She slept very well in the pleasant room which had been assigned to her, and woke refreshed and ready to drink in every new sight and conversation which the day would afford her.

She had the previous day informed Fanny that she wished to call at Hanover-square directly after breakfast, to see her sister, and John had given his assent to pay the call. Fanny, she knew would not

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